Fire foam nozzle



May 27, 1952 J. B. WEBSTER FIRE FOAM NOZZLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 12, 1947 May 27, 1952 B. WEBSTER FIRE FOAM NOZZLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 12, 1947 8 mum Nor,

May 27, 1952 J. B. WEBSTER FIRE FOAM NOZZLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 12, 1947 Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 4 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

For the combating of fires produced from the combustion of inflammable chemicals, oils, and other materials not affected by water, the use of foam-producing compositions for producing an air-excluding blanket around such fires is well known. Various compositions of such fire foamproducing materials are available for fire extinguishing purposes, the compositions producing a liquid foam that envelops a mass of burning material and, by blanketing the fire from access of air, quickly smothers and extinguishes the same.

The foam-producing compositions are directed to the site of the blaze by nozzles attached to hose lines leading from the supply of foam-producing compounds, which compounds may or may not be mixed to produce foam prior to reaching the nozzle.

The present invention provides an improved nozzle for handling any type of fire-foam producing materials, and more particularly it provides a nozzle construction which produces enhanced mixing of the foam-producing materials, regardless of their base or composition, the construction of the invention being adapted to be used either as a distributing foam nozzle itself or connected to a usual form of distributing nozzle for increasing efficiency thereof.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, and the features of novelty will be pointed out in particularity in the appended claims.

The invention will be understood more clearly by reference to the accompanying drawings, which show several embodiments or modifications embodying the structural features and principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of a foamproducing and stabilizing nozzle embracing structural features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken generally on the section line II-II of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 2A is a fragmentary detailed sectional view of the intake end of the present construction, showing the manner of mounting the parts;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line IlI-III of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a liquid-injection plate mounted adjacent to the liquid intake of the nozzle, the said plate being viewed as looking towards the left in Figs. 1 and 8;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the plate of Fig. 5, the'view being taken on the line VI--VI of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. '7 is a plan view of a modified embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line IXIX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a further transverse sectional elevation taken on the line X-X of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 i a plan view of a further modified form of nozzle embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line XII-XII of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a further transverse sectional elevation taken on the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 14 is a further transverse elevation taken along the line XIV-XIV of Fig. 12.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and to the modification of Figs. 1 through 5, the nozzle shown in these views is composed of two concentrically arranged cylindrical sections, these being a long cylindrical intake section A which enters a mixing section K, this being structurally a prolongation of the housing of section A, and a short cylindrical section B which is substantially larger in diameter than sections A and K and receives the section K concentrically. Section B constitutes the discharge end of the nozzle.

The cylindrical section A is provided with an intake end It having an intake connection l8 for receiving premixed foam solution from a suitable supply thereof, not shown. The connection I 8 delivers the foam solution to an intake disc 20 over which the foam is distributed to a plurality of openings 22, preferably arranged as shown, which openings 22 are sloped as shown, and controlled by threaded orifice members 24.

The intake end of the intake section A is closed by an apertured cap on which is mounted the connection 18 for connecting the nozzle to a turret line, not shown. The connection l8 leads to the disc 20 (see Figs. 2A, 7 and 8) provided with the openings 22, which are inclined as illustrated in Fig. 6, and which are arranged preferably as shown in Fig. 5, wherein eight of these openings are shown. This number, however, is not critical, but may be changed without departing from the invention. The converging angles of the openings are different, however, so that the resulting ln-i coming jets meet at different points, thereby producing maximum agitation and expansion of the incoming foam-producing liquid, which expansion aspirates air into the liquid through air-intake ports 2i which pass through end closure 23 of housing 26 of the intake section A. The closure 23 is seoured'tg the'housing 26' by screws 25; and the connection I8 is secured a the closure'by' screws 21. The connection 18 is threaded inter: nally for receiving threads 29 on the periphery of the plate 29, for holding this plate. The openings 22 are controlled by the threadedly inserted plugs or orifice members 24 having the'passages 30 therethrough of predetermined diameter, these plugs being removable and replaceable as desired with other plugs having different diameter pas sages therethrough.

In advance of the meeting jets of foam-producing liquid, there is positioned concentrically, in the housing 26 of section A, a reticulated screen j9 icon 'ca1sh pe; the apex f he ie a i then imm:"m xtu e qr i s a i T reticulated eone'az' isv seci'ired in position webs 3.4, ecured e time a d t fiei sid o the kiu i sfle of he' iki s sty' end b r e s quivalent faste i 3 he We s ,4 weldedtojtl ie c one"32 and hold the cone rigidly inproper position in the housing. The cone 3 2 provi es a annular. p s a e. 4.0 amund i o progressively decreasing thickness and area so that pro ressiv am n s of he sea e a -p oduci ng' liquid will pass through this cone and become progressivelyintimatelymixed with the air being aspirated through the air-intake ports 21. The cof al screfefn 32.ha s sufi'icient area to pas majors .i n o as mam -andair mixture, "and not completelyfill the diameter of the housing 25. The screen 32 acts asa mixer and'diffuser for the, portions or, the foam -produc ing liquid and air' 'introducedthrhugh'openings z d q j w i 4. "the a z i i mixt e an re et t a frusto-conical member 472,, the large end of which c mplete fil s d ame r 9 the min This"f rusto conical member '62 restricts the flow of] the foam-liquid material, the member converging in direction of the flow of the material. Distributed around this member Q2 are air-intake ports iiijth'rou'gh the housing 26 'of the mixing sectio K, exit or the" formi-liquid material through the restricted outlet of themember' lg aspirating f urt'he'r'quantities of air through the po is 45;, this 'air intermixin'g with the liquid as the latter eilparids to fill the housing 25 Mdiihtd at thejuncture oi the mixing section K andtiischar'ge section B of the nozzle," is a i i e s 'ehi a mixing n p eadi me b r ia'wni n is mpgntec eoiicentncniy' icn s ctions a'nd B means or the mounting: and spagiagwsbs 58, which are riveted to'housing 52' of section B and w elded to the perforatedcone fi. Alsofs pacersb airman housings '26 and 52 iii rigid, concentric relation. The perforated conefiil passesabout fifty per centof the liquid; air' anid farn iniiture and aspirates air through air intakes 55 between the webs '59; and t, the remainder of the foam passing around the cone 48 through passage stand thence into discharge steaangt 'themozzlfor discharge onto the site"dfa fire or for receiving a further and con-j vnti'nal'di'stributinfg" nozzle. The passage of a per o'ii'bf the iniiitiire around the" perforated cone'iiito the enlarged spaceof "the discharge setion'increases" "the" velocity of the "stream of xniiiturs a'nd aids aspiration "at an? intal ss 56;"

The frusto-conical member 42 also serves to focus and direct the stream of mixture passing therefrom onto the apex of cone 2%.

In the construction shown in Figs. '7 through 10, which views represent the features of the present invention applied to a long-range turret n'ozzlefth'esubstantially cylindrical intake secnone opens intoa substantially "cylindrical section D that tapers towards the discharge end into a discharge section E.

The intake end of the cylindrical section C is similar to that described above, as will be apparent.

Housing 68 of the cylindrical intake section C opens into the frusto-conical member 52. Because of the fact that this nozzle is adapted to handle substantially larger volumes of foamproducing materials than the nozzle of Figs. 1 through 6, the intermediate section D is made of substantially larger diameter than the intake section 'C, thelatter being comparable in diam: eter'to the'diameter of the cylindrical section A of theab'ove-described modification. Housing is spaced concentrically from the housing 6 4 of the intermediate section B by webs secured by fastening means or the like 68, to housings iii andffiii, respectively. As is clear from '9 the spaces intermediate the webs 56 are open; thus providing for intake of air, as indicated at 19. The large, or intake end of the irusto-c'onical member/E2 fills the inside diameter of the hous ihg '6 and is secured to the housing by fastening ifneans 3'2; The converging throat portion iii of this irustoconical member is formed at an angle which will retard or choke the passage of the io ainiiforming liquid flowing through the open mouth T5 of this member, the resulting e pan- $19 l e d erfect e rse a W in the fru'st'o con ical member 82 which aspirates air through openings 7 E! and intimately mixes this air with the foam-forming liquid p as ing through the frustoconical member 82.

"The perforated cone 18 hasits apex eitending into the 'frusto conical member EZ and its wide end or base fills th'e insidel diameter of the housmg 89 oft'he nozzle discharge section except for a narrow annular space 82. The perforated cone: l8fisheld by webs 8 that are secured by fasteningm'enibers 87 to the connecting portion 85 between the intermediate or mixing section D of the nozzle and the" discharge section El "This tapering portion guides further quantities of the foainh'iix through the perforated cone 13} and,' byfetardin'g the flow of foam liquid, causes the air-liquid mixture" to pass "into the cone "l8 throughthe perforations thereof, thereby b ecoiningintiihatelydifiused and commingled into asft-able rosin. W li'rrthis"v embodiment, pro-mixed foam liquid enters the left-hand end of the nozzle, as viewed in the drawings by a series of jets produced by openings 22,'controlled by plugs 24, and mixes with air streams entering through ports 21; the air being aspirated through these ports by suction created by the flow of liquid through the mixing section C of the nozzle. abovethe openings 22 may be adjustedto fit the requirements of a given task by means of regulating the gallons-per-minute rate of liquid to be used in'comparison with the pressure which may be available. These adjustments also are of value in making the equipment more highly effec tive in covering the types and sizes of proposed firehaza'rdsf "Themiiied air and liquid passes fromthe initial As has been pointed out mixing section C into the frusto-conical member 62. Upon emerging from the mouth It of this member, the air-foam mixture expands to fill the diameter of the section D, and draws, by this expansion, additional air into the liquid through openings 10, the resulting mixture then striking the perforated cone 18. The resulting agitation and intimate mixing caused by this cone produces an intimate mixing of air and foam liquid, and produces a wide spread of flaky and efiective fire-extinguishing foam which effectively protects the fire-fighter from heat radiation. The perforated cone is made with enough area to provide perforations to allow maximum amount of foam to pass through the same, the area and perforations being suflicient to allow at least half of the liquid mixture to pass through the cone. As is pointed out above, this embodiment of the invention projects larger volumes of foam for substantially greater distances than does the short range nozzle of Figs. 1 through 4.

In order to adapt the construction of Figs. 1 through 4 to short range work, as has been pointed out above, the volume of material passed by the nozzle in a given time is less and the velocity is less than is the case with the/long range construction of Figs. 7, 8 and 9. The wire-mesh cone 32, which is used as an agitator, mixer, and difiuser, also reduces the velocity of the air-liquid mixture. In common with the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, pre-mixed foam solution enters the left-hand end of the nozzle, as viewed on the drawings, by jets through openings 22 and mixes withair passing through the passages 2|. The frusto-conical section 42 is longer and is of less slope than is the frustoconical member 62. The resulting mixture as it leaves the member 42, mixes with further quantitles of air drawn through ports 44 as the mixture expands.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 11 through 14, there is represented an improved nozzle for connection with handlines, which embraces, generally, the features described above but adapted to dimensions of the nozzle for handline use.

The intake section F has a threaded hose connection 83 that enters into a conical liquid intake 90, the resulting injection of foam liquid drawing air through lateral ports 92. This air mixes with the incoming foam liquid, the resulting mixture entering the frusto-conical member 94 mounted in the cylindrical section G of the nozzle, the large end of which completely fills the entire inside diameter of the housing 96 and is secured to the inner wall of the housing. As in the case with the embodiment of the construction of Figs. 7 through 10, the frusto-conical member converges in the direction of the flow of the airliquid mixture, this mixture being compressed and retarded by the converging shape of this member until it passes out of the mouth 98 of this member. The cylindrical section G opens into a discharge section II, which also is cylindrical in shape and is of enlarged diameter, which is disposed concentrically about the section G, and is maintained thus by webs I00 secured to housings 96 of the section G and I02 of section II, these webs I00 defining air intake passages IOI therebetween in the end of the housing I02.

Mounted in this housing I02 is a perforated distributing and mixing cone I04, held in position by webs I06 secured as indicated at I08 to housing I02. The cone I04 enlarges in the direction of the air-liquid flow, to form a restricted annular passageway IIO around the cone through which a portion of the stream of liquid, air and foam mixture may pass to cause additional turbulence and velocity of the stream. The apex of the cone I04 extends into the housing 96, so that air-liquid mixture will aspirate additional quantities of air through air passages IOI between the webs I00, the air becoming intimately mixed and commingled with the liquid through the agitation resulting from the passage of the mixture through and around the cone, and thence to the discharge end of the nozzle. The concentric disposition of sections G and H, which is maintained by the webs I00, is secured by fastening means IIZ. The embodiment shown in Figs. 11 through 14 produces a long range-throw of foam from a handline.

I It'will be observed that in each form there. is provided a foam-producing nozzle in which air is introduced into the nozzle at a plurality of spaced points along the length of the nozzle; the air and foam-producing liquid being intimately agitated and mixed adjacent to each intake, followed by diffusing and expanding means adjacent to the nozzle outlet, producing in each instance a wide curtain or shield of fire-extinguishing mate: rial which effectively protects the fire fighter from heat radiation from the fire being treated. The perforated diffusing cone extending into the discharge section both spreads the foam into the protective curtain and produces an extremely intimate'mixture of the air and foam liquid by additional agitation and mixing action .due to the passage'of the mixture through and around the final perforated cone. I

Having thus described my invention, what. I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is: v

L'A nozzle for projecting fire-extinguishing foam upon a blaze of naming combustibles, comprising anelongated. tubular housing having a plurality of sections in successive communication whereby foam producing liquid may be passed through the housing, one of which sections is an intake section, a second of which sections is tending from the discharge section toward the intake section and having its base supported in spaced relation to the walls of the discharge section whereby a portion of the stream impinged thereon may flow around the perforated conical member for imparting additional velocity to the stream while the remaining portion of the stream will be caused to flow through the perforations of the conical member for additional foaming, the mixing section being interposed between the intake and discharge sections and receiving the apex of the perforated conical member and including a frusto-conical compressing and mixing member mounted therein with its base contiguous to the walls of the mixing section and converging away from the intake section and towards the discharge section whereby the stream of liquid, air and foam is compressed and mixed therein and directed therefrom onto the apex of the perforated conical member, the compressing and minin memb r be ng spac d it m. ie so. that he mixtu e oi liq id, ai. no ieam. esult: ns tem the ac ion of the jet mean may impin upon the nterior o t e o ressin an mixin memb t e h usi in ludin at least on g up at additiona ort .io the aspiration o th tre m a ed ab ut t e perip r ft e housin A no zle for mol stin fi e ex in 'uishine team, won. ab aze i flaming c m us ible com.- ati ne an elo at d ubu ar hou in havi a pluralit o axia ly al n d. se tions in successive so n unieation whereb foam nmducin liquid ma be passed, t ou h the housing-l oneoi whi h ect ons s an inta e ect on. a second. f whi h se tio s is a mixin section, and a third of wh ch sections is. a d schar e secti the. intak secti n including an intake end for connection to asup.- nla-o f am p odu n liqu d, a sin le jet in axial ali nmen w h. thehous n fo the. introduction at liquid and norts for the introduction. of ai 1 thereon may flow around the perforated conical he or mpar in additional velocity to the stream w ile th emain n portionof the str am wil be aused to low through the perforations oi" he. co ical member for additional foamin the mixing section being interposed between, the intake nd. dis ha e. sections. and re i the o th ner orated eomcal member and including a frusto-conlcal compressing and mixing IEQIERQ moun edthere n with its base conti u .1% Q? he. miXing-sectionand onv r in k om tha intake; section and towards the sli shatse section whe eby. the ream f i and foam; is compressed and mixed therein anti directed. ther rom. n o he apex: of the r: 9 co ical. emb r. h compressing: and membe e n s aoecitrom. thei t: so that the tha. act on. f h je may mpin e upon the interim?- f. he ompre s n ansi; mines. member; thg discharge. section being of greater cross-secrt t o iq-via. i-ra d. oam resultin from.

tional ea than the mixin sec i and havin its walls offset therefrom to provide ports spaced about the periphery of the housing in addition to the ports in the intake section for the additional aspiration of the stream by the introduction of air responsive to the expansion of the stream as it passes from the mixing section to the discharge section.

3, The combination of claim 1 wherein said additional ports are located in the walls of the mixing section opposite the walls of the compressing and mixing member to allow air to pass from the atmosphere into the space between the housing walls and the compressing and mixing membe 4! The, combination of claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of the mixing section is greater than that of the intake section and the walls of said sections are spaced to provide said additional ports.

JOSHUA B. WEBSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,827,255 Nelson Oct. 13, 1931 2,105,264 Reed Jan. 11, 1938 2,138,133 Betzler Nov. 29, 1938 2,32%605 Urquhart July 20, 1943 2,423,650 Hurst July- 8, 1947 2,477,204 Ravine v July 26, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS hln nber Country Date 44.1..441 Great Britain Jan. 20, 1936 54,162 Holland Feb. 16, 1943 106,934 Sweden Mar. 23 1943 491,838 Great Britain Sept. 9., 1938 GTHER. REFERENCES Report on German Air Foam Fire-Fighting Equipment, No. 28, by Joint Intelligence Objective'Agenoy; Washington, D. (3., plates M-2-15, M-2-11 and, M2,-15, pages 79, 80 and '84, C; I, O. S. Intelligence Div., Engineer Section, U. K; base, A', P. O. 413, U. S. Army, dated June 17; 

